Hormone levels, natural remedies, not confident

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hi, I suffer with vaginal atrophy and generally that means low oestrogen levels in the body generally, it can mean  low sex drive, loss of hair, feeling fatigued, and lead to all sorts of health problems.  I have ovestin hormone cream which I've been using for two weeks, and also thought I could google for the correct foods to top up with, to keep the levels higher than previously.

I've been doing this for two weeks, eating dried fruit, apricots and chick peas and hummus as they are foods high in oestrogen, but not noticing much difference, I know I am under the weather, as my hairs colour, a vibrant red, does not "stay", it fades just a couple of weeks after its been done, where before I developed this it used to stay bright for six weeks plus.

Nowadays, what are the pros and cons of actual hormone treatment as I seriously think it may be worth considering.

1 like, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Fiona, I totally understand i fought against hrt for 4 years and hoped i could do it naturally, but for me i felt worse and worse as the months went on it got so bad ,i had no sex drive at all and felt so sad most of the time, crying for no reason, being extremely nasty tempered and sleeping a lot during the day when I wasn't at work yet waking in the night worrying. . . I went to my gp and have been on combined hrt for 10 weeks now, the hot sweats stopped after 10 days and in the past few weeks i am feeling much better mood wise and I feel calmer and happier than I have for a long time, all the best and good luck

    • Posted

      Hi there, can you tell me are there any side effects and is there weight gain? Im worried my GP may be reluctant but it might be worth asking him. Thanks for the info x
    • Posted

      I havnt gained any weight, the side effects i have had are very tender breasts, that's it, that's normal according to my gp and hopefully will go.

    • Posted

      Hi, im going to see him Thurs about it but i think he may be worried about breast cancer as the statistics were quite high, however lid be happy to risk that were it up to me as my mood is very low, osteoporosis and belly fat, in bed depressed all day. Ill see what he says. Thanks again
  • Posted

    Unless you have history of breast cancer in your family the risks as I have researched are minimal , not like they thought years ago, but still a slight risk.. I really feel for you being depressed and lying in bed, its not worth it, I did this for ages until hrt kicked in, I didn't know if I was depressed. . Poorly.....or what I was its awfull. Not every one will agree with me on the forum as we all have our own experiences, but for me hrt has made me feel like a new women. Good luck

  • Posted

    Hi, just for your information the combined hrt I'm on is called kilofem, you can have this one if you haven't had a period for 3 years

    • Posted

      Thanks, ive opened up a discussion on fb about this and its proved quite interesting, yes very slight increase in breast cancer also slight increase in deep vein thrombosis as i hear it but overall the women who were on it said it had markedly improved their lives. Best wishes x
  • Posted

    Hello Fiona

    Personally I swear by HRT, having been on it for 17+ years.  Yes I guess there are some risks but I consider these minimal.  In any research there is population risk and personal risk so if your personal risk factors are low then I suggest consider going on HRT and see how you feel.  Of course you will have to find a medical professional who is willing to prescribe it.  For me it's about quality of life, feeling good, looking good and having a life free from menopausal symptoms.  As I age I see those around me not on HRT, age faster, skin ages faster, they complain of sleep problems, probably have vaginal dryness leading to sexual problems, etc.  I look at all the research that comes out.  Female gynaecologists and partners of male gynaecologists are all high users of HRT (a Netherlands study I think).  Female doctors in the US are high users.  All the best in whatever you choose.  Be prepared to try different HRT until you get one that suits.  Lyn

     

  • Posted

    Hi everyone, right the good news is Doctor  has agreed I can go on it, and has given me a leaflet to read, which I've read through and it seems the dangers are a fair bit less than even I thought, and I was very keen to go on it, but its there in black and white, so I'm to see him in a fortnight, soonest he's free and talk it through and if no problems should be able to start then.  Just like to say thanks for everyone on here who has supported me through a challenging time of deciding what to do, take care, Fiona

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.